Sunday, January 13, 2013

Community barricade in GMA, Cavite continues on its 5th day

Press Release

January 13, 2013

Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino

Residents in Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Cavite have barricaded their community and
the protest continue on it fifth day today to stop a real estate development.
Some 60 families plus scores of vendors in Market Site, a depressed area near the
municipal hall, are resisting the planned eviction to give way to Lotus Mall.

The situation has been tense since last Wednesday when construction
crew attempted to build a wall to enclose the development site. In the
confrontation, community leader Virginia Panahon was physically threatened
using a bolo and also warned with arrest by the barangay captain. Since then
residents and vendors have maintained a vigil to defend their community and
livelihood. Last Friday police mobile cars were seen patrolling the community.

Last December 18, some 100 residents and vendors marched
from the Market Site to the municipal hall to demand a relocation site. Members
of Samahan ng Naninirahan sa Market Site were joined by supporters from the Partido
ng Manggagawa Coalition (PM Coalition) and Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino in
the protest. The dialogue with an official of the office of Mayor Leonisa “Ona”
Virata yielded no result.

“The people want social progress with social justice. We
appeal to be treated as human beings not rags that can be thrown when not
needed. If our community is to be demolished then we demand decent relocation
and financial assistance,’ declared Ramil Cangayao of the Cavite chapter of PM Coalition.

Since July this year, the community residents have been
holding protests and negotiations with the National Housing Authority, which
owns the open space sold to Lotus Mall, and the administration of Mayor Virata.
But residents complain that they are being given the runaround. On November 19,
the Sangguniang Bayan passed Resolution No. 0735-2012 approving the application
of Lotus Mall to develop a commercial building at Market Site.

Cangayao added that “If there is any shred of good
governance in the administration of Mayor Virata, then residents deserve
transparency as to the local government’s plans about relocation. They keep on
promising there is a relocation site but there are no details. We also want the
implementation of the Office of the Court Administrators Circular No. 72-2003
mandating a financial assistance to relocatees amounting to 60 days times the
minimum wage or a total of P19,628 per family.”

Cangayao challenged the candidates in the coming elections
to stand on the side of the urban poor residents. “Go beyond motherhood
statements. In the real life struggle for a decent life and affordable housing,
are the candidates on the side of the ordinary people or of rich developers?”
he said. ###

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